EDitorial ± 17-Feb-2023

Light Lunches: Grundisburgh Dog Deli

Technical mismanagement on my part meant that I was cycling out of Adastral Park at precisely the time Andy was driving in. Quick 180 to follow him back to my office and, scanning for somewhere to lock my bike, saw a handy post. Didn't see the metal sign attached to said post. It'll heal over, I'm sure.

Was my idea to visit Williams Stores, having spotted it on a 2018 trip to Newton Hall Equitation but, aiming for a vague postcode, shot past and ended up by an inviting sign reading "tea, coffee & cake": this'll do. Didn't know of the Dog Deli, a spin-off from the Grundisburgh Dog pub nearby, and Street View shows that this angular white building was the Post Office, until it wasn't. In go the pair of us to a fantastic fine-food-filled space. Olives here, sardines there, and all the artisanal cheese you could want, like a more compact Emmett's.

Asking the nice lady for some plates, though, we get busy with the tongs and choose some savoury goodies -- cheddar quiche, sausage roll, Scotch egg -- from the convenient circular stand. Bag of Kettle chips too, and a Bundaberg ginger beer for the driver with a Kinnie for me, "Malta's favourite drink" with a bittersweet orange flavour. Cute room next door has a handy table for three (plus a sofa and smaller table) and I'm busy divvying up the snacks into halves when Andy reminds me that we're expecting a new face today, none other than TT Johnny. A few crumbs remain when he finally joins us, pretty much fresh from Mauritius, darling. Before digging in, he presents us with random gifts of books, flip-flops, you-name-it: someone's clearing out their spare room. Thanks, Johnny.

He lives in the Kesgrave area and says that he tried and failed to get into Chestnut & Rose recently; not a table to be had. Deli lady appears looking a tad harried: she's on the phone with an IT bod trying to fix their card payment device. Sounds like our sort of problem, so I offer to take over and find that the problem is more-or-less already resolved. Coffees on the house, she says, returning behind the counter to tackle the snazzy caffeine dispenser. Brief return to that carousel for a selection of sweet Italian pistachio and cocoa mini pastries.

All good. All very, very good indeed. Isn't always like this, I try to explain to the newcomer; mostly we're consuming all-day-breakfast baps in humble caffs. But this is the Dog Deli's day.

If it was a car -- Rover Streetwise
If they were passing by -- Dele Alli.